Hopes and Expectations

Expectations are pretty huge so God is going to have some fun working in Philly this week!  Along with expectations, many students became vulnerable and shared their fears as well and we couldn’t be more excited to see God’s power be made complete in our weaknesses.
 
-That God will change me and other people we encounter this week.
-My expectations are that God will change the way I think through things and the way that I think about people and situations
-I think God will change the way I think about people and the way I treat people
-I expect to have a better view of the world
-My eyes opened to the needs of others, that God will show me how I can be used to serve Him, and gain a greater understanding that spiritual needs crosses all people
-I expect to grow in awareness, compassion, and confidence in God -I expect that God will DEVELOP compassion within me and compel me to talk to people that I normally won’t talk to
-To grow in compassion, to witness to people, to help change people’s lives
-Be able to use what I learn here back at home
-I expect to learn a lot here to share at home
-My expectations for this week are that we would come back changed and that we will be able to make an impact not only on this community but also on our own at home
-Be pushed–become less shy
-Get out of my comfort zone
-I want to help lead someone to Christ.  I want to help someone with starting a relationship with God
-I want to bring someone closer to God and let people know He and we care about them
-I expect to grow in my faith with God, I would really like to change somebody’s life or at least connect them with Christ
-Radically changed hearts…growing so much more intimate with Jesus.  Realizing that we are not different from the people of Philly in so many ways.  Surrender to Him!
-To experience God’s love in a new way and to share that love as completely as I can
 
Many of the fears involved physical safety, but more significantly than that, the fear of rejection was a major theme.  In just one day, however, this group has gone out into the community with boldness and have already come back with positive attitudes and great hopes for how God is going to stretch them.  It’s exciting to see how God is taking fears and turning them into a source of excitement because that’s where growth happens and faith is strengthened!
 
PRAY:  That God would amaze us with His provision, that we would be sent out by God to bring the Gospel to the community, and that we would rely on His power to accomplish what He has for us.  Pray also that we would become more and more sensitive to where the Holy Spirit is leading as we wait for Him to guide us in this ministry.
Continue to pray for Bill and Kristie as they prepare to leave for France to be missionaries in less than a week.
The weather here has been rainy and overcast (which is a nice reprieve from the heat) so pray that we would be open to God’s creativity in ministry for the next couple of days.